The documents were originally spotted by Japanese website Pocket News and coincide with Eurogamer’s reports that Sony is gearing up for a new PS3 model reveal at Gamescom 2012. This new model, labeled the “4000 series”, denotes an update to the current 3000 series which current PS3 systems are being produced under.

Should Sony in fact reveal a new, slimmer PS3 model at Gamescom, it would not mark the first time that the company has done so. Sony announced the PS3 Slim at the German gaming trade show in August 2009. The redesigned version was built to be smaller, lighter, and more power-efficient than its predecessor. The Cell microprocessor unit was also redesigned, allowing for the Slim to run cooler and quieter than previous models.

A new model release may also suggest that the PS3 is in its last lifespan year. Toward the end of the PS2’s lifespan, Sony unveiled a system revision that was also smaller, lighter, and quieter than original models. The release of the slimmer PS2 marked the end of the console’s cycle, and opened the doors for the big unveiling of the PS3 two years later. Could a second PS3 hardware redesign imply a PS4 announcement at E3 2013?